In the Darkness of the Obsidion
by hammy ham ham
Summary: The Shinou league is done, and the champion has been crowned. But he sacrificed his pokemon to win. How can a trainer be that driven? How can he do that to his pokemon, his partners? Ash wants to know the same thing.


The battle had been long and heard. Eleven pokemon fell that day, leaving naught but one solitary Megayanma standing. But the Megayanma had not battled. Nay and no, for a lapras had used perish song to bring down the opponent's last pokemon, a battle scarred pikachu.

He received the trophy without a word and left just as silently out the door. Needless to say, the challenger was _not _happy about such an underhanded tactic being used to crumble has last defense.

"Who, who are you?!" Ash cried as the man swiftly turned and left the trainer's lobby to the garden leading from the league building to the Colosseum.

He stopped as the cry rang out, a pregnant silence stilling the air.

"Obsoneo" he said at last as he continued to walk away. A low growl came from Ash's throat at the man's action, the pent up energy in his muscles releasing in one arc as he leaped forward and into Obsoneo's path.

"What's your problem?!" he growled out at the emotionless face of the adult, covered somewhat by the six long navy strands hanging about his face. Ash did his best to look intimidating- which was sort of hard considering Obsoneo had a good foot on the enraged young man.

Obsoneo's eyes lowered down until they met Ash's, cool aqua meeting fiery black. Their gaze held for one moment, and the passersby could have sworn they saw sparks flying from the two pairs of orbs. They stopped to see just what would happen between the two finalists of the Shinou league.

"I have the exact same question." the elder monotoned as the staring contest ended, his sharp eyebrows lowering slightly as the first signs of annoyance began to creep in. Of course, considering the fact that he normally suppressed emotion absolutely- he was pretty much ready to punch Ash's light out. And the way the wind was itching his ponytail against his neck wasn't helping either.

Ash ground his teeth and roared, holding his hands skyward in rage as his resolve crumbled and burned under the heat of his temper. "You come out of nowhere, kick everyone's butt like some kind of war machine, have your pokemon sacrifice themselves to get a win and then think you can just _LEAVE?!_ Who do you think you are?!"

For the first time since the two had seen each other, a frown crossed Obsoneo's face. His normally clear turquoise gazed turned into one of a raging tropical sea, the sharp angle of his mouth lowering into a scowl. His hands clenched at his side, tightening with each word.

"How I battle is none of your business, Ash Ketchum," he growled as the flame darting around his pupils grew into an inferno, blazing outward as a challenge to anyone _daring_ to speak to him in such a mood, "and who I am is none of your concern. Now, if you have nothing else to say, I have business _elsewhere_."

He turned on his heel and once again stalked off, leaving a spluttering young trainer in his wake. Ash just flailed around for a minute at the audacity- to think that _someone _could just _speak to him_ that way and _walk away_ was laughable. His jaw worked several times before ye called out,

"Like what? Having your pokemon hurt themselves just so you can win! How can you _do that?!"_to his repeating back.

All at once, Obsoneo froze. Slowly he turned, his eyes now glowing with pure murderess rage. He strode back with none of the innocent grace his steps once had. No, now the dust clouds following him were a tribute to the swan that had become a tiger. In one swift motion he gripped Ash's collar with one hand and held up the tag around his neck with the other.

Up to now, the others around them had tried to either ignore or eavesdrop on the heated argument. But the swift motion had caused several yelps from those who saw. But none did anything, just watched, several darting their eyes back and forth between the police building and the two young men. To the two being stared at, there was nobody else. Just the other attached by the one strong hand.

"Do you know what this _is, _Ash Ketchum?" Obsoneo hissed as he held the tag up to Ash's eyes. Close enough for him to read the scratched tag.

"_Biber the Byousel, of the Edelstein family..." _Ash read aloud from the tag as his eyes darted over the text. He's seen this kind of tag before, on pokemon used as pets. His eyebrow quirked at the tag. "Your pet?" he guessed.

Obsoneo shook his head, saying, "Not _just_ my pet, my first friend, my first pokemon. Did you notice the fact that he is _missing_ from my team, hm? Well, guess why."

Ash could only shake his head and shrug. Well, shrug as best he could with somebody nearly ripping the shirt of his body. So the guy didn't use his starter, it wasn't unheard of. Rare, but unheard of.

"Because he's _dead." _the man finished, at last letting go of Ash's collar. Ash didn't make any motion to correct his clothing or do anything else. It was just that phrase that stopped him- _dead_. His mind strayed back to his first adventure, all the way back in Kanto. When Team Rocket and the Squirtle Squad had taken them hostage, and pikachu was poisoned by a goldeen. What he had felt that day, not knowing of his starter would survive. Sadness and worry flooded him, but above all else, was the pity. The pity of the man who had just moments ago been glaring murder at him.

"It was after the first gym of Shinou. My first badge. We were cocky off euphoria and forgot to buy antidotes at the mart or collect pecha berries before we went into the forest. Halfway to Hakutai we were ambushed by a hive of beedrill.

"One poison sting to the neck. It hit his jugular vein and broke the skin. He was dead from the poison before the ambulance even arrived.

"They had to cremate him so that the pokemon in the cemetery wouldn't be contaminated from the poison leeched into his body. This tag is all that's left." he said while holding up that same tag. Tears began to spill down his cheeks and to the ground as his story was told.

Unbeknown to them, everybody nearby had heard the tale. and most of them were crying too. Not only for the poor byousel, or the unfortunate trainer, but because of the knowledge that it could have just as easily happened to them. Who hadn't gotten overconfident after a big win? Who hadn't gotten a bit cocky and gotten attacked by beedrill for their mistake?

All that Ash could mutter was sorry as the tale swept through. All the times he had been chased by beedrills, not once considering what could have happened had they not outrun the insects. Pikachu had only been poisoned once, by that goldeen when he was getting squirtle. The one time he had felt that dread. The one he could only guess filled Obsoneo's dreams and nightmares.

As for the man himself, all he could do was let the tears fall. "That is why my pokemon fight the way they do. They realize their own mortality. They do what it takes to win, if only because they know that one day they will never be able to battle again. They give it everything they have because the time will come when they will have nothing to give. That is why they are willing to sacrifice themselves." he said as he turned once again and walked away for the third and final time. This time, nobody moved to stop him as the new champion shrunk into the horizon.

------

I have had this playing in my mind for weeks and finally got it down in something I'm content with. I suck at battles, so meh, no battle for you. By the way, Obsoneo is supposed to be an offshoot of Obsidian. I just liked the name, so there. If anybody wants or cares, I can scan a picture of Obsoneo. It's just his face though, and my scanner is the spawn of a demon, so it may take a bit.


End file.
